Tag Archives: Transportation

I can’t wait to get mine! Here is the info on this pimpish flying vehicle!

Woburn, MA June 3, 2009: Terrafugia, Inc. has successfully completed the flight testing program designed for its Transition Roadable Aircraft Proof of Concept. Having been dubbed The Flying Car, the Transition completed its historic first flight on March 5, 2009 with 27 additional flights completed over the next several weeks.

The successful completion of flight-testing with the Proof of Concept concludes the first stage of a four stage process to bring the Transition into production. Work is underway on Stage 2, the Beta Prototype. First delivery is expected in 2011.

The Proof of Concept vehicle is the first and only Transition to be built thus far. It has now achieved its goals by demonstrating driving, flying, and automated transformation between the two in one integrated aircraft. The flights conducted a plan set specifically for the Transition: characteristics such as handling, performance, and take-off and landing, stability and stall were evaluated. B-Roll footage is available of representative flights. The flight-testing program demonstrated the safety of the vehicle in the air while identifying modifications that will be incorporated into the next Transition model to be built, the Beta Prototype.

Test Pilot Colonel (Retired) Phil Meteer had a positive review of flying the POC: I would like to keep flying this Proof of Concept vehicle, but it makes sense to move on to the Beta Prototype.

Categorized as a Light Sport Aircraft, the Transition requires a Sport Pilot certificate to fly. It is a two-seat aircraft designed to take off and land at local airports and drive on any road. Transforming from plane to car takes the pilot less than 30 seconds. The Transition will cruise up to 450 miles at over 115 mph, will drive at highway speeds on the road, and fits in a standard household garage. The vehicle has front wheel drive on the road and a propeller for flight. Both modes are powered by unleaded automotive gasoline. By giving pilots a convenient ground transportation option, the Transition reduces the cost, inconvenience, and weather sensitivity of personal aviation. It also increases safety by incorporating automotive crash structures and allowing pilots to drive under bad weather. Refundable airframe reservations are currently being accepted.

Terrafugia (ter-ra-FOO-gee-ah), based in Woburn, MA, is comprised of a team of award-winning engineers who have been advancing the state of personal aircraft since 2006. Founded by five pilots who are graduates of MIT and supported by a world-class network of advisors and private investors, Terrafugias mission is the innovative expansion of personal mobility. “Terrafugia” is Latin for “escape from land.”

Honda has unveiled a bold new urban transport pimpin’ concept at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. The Honda P-NUT Personal Urban Transport Concept is a three-seater ultra-compact designed to compete with the SmartCars of the world & attract women, thanks to a future-forward design sensibility and a focus on short-range urban transport. This rear-engine, RWD city car uses the front-end space to place the driver front-and-center, with two fold-out seats for passengers in the rear section. As a result, the Honda P-NUT is one part motorcycle, one part ultra compact– as much a competitor to the Aptera car designs as it is to a two seater SmartCar.

While we appreciate the concept and functionality of the Honda P-NUT, we’re not too big on the design. It should be the task of the designer to create a progressive concept like this that, well, a normal driver would actually want to be seen in. The three-seater, two-in-the-back option can be done really well, and it can be done in an uninspiring matter. Sadly, the P-NUT is trending toward the latter… But aside from the awkward exterior, the Honda P-NUT is a nice addition to the concept cars that are driving the shape of the wheels of tomorrow.

This vehicle is a definite ism enhancer! Developed under the theme “Imagine the Peugeot in the Worldwide Megalopolis of Tomorrow,” the Leonin by Tudoran Liviu is a futuristic car that came into being in the fifth Peugeot design competition. Deriving its name from the insistent behavior of a lion, the Leonin is a hybrid car, which comes with a battery under the hood and an electric engine at the back. Presenting aggressive looks and features, the car is capable of reaching a speed of about 160 km/h with a range of around 500km, which is ideal for short distance travel in a crowded city.

The body of the car is finished with aluminum composite, hard plastic, carbon fiber and glass, giving a foolproof protection to commuters in case of an accident. Replacing the interior rearview mirror, the hybrid features an LCD screen in the main console to display the video captured by the hi-resolution camera located at the rear of the car. The Leonin would set you back something between €18,000 and €25,000, according to the intensity of technology and equipment used in the car.